Footrest



April 1, 1941. I

J. A. YUSEK Foo'rnas'r Filed April 5, 1938 INVENTOR.

A. Yusfi I m %41? Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNHTE STS This invention relatesto a footrest and is particularly applicable to chairs such as are usedin barber and beauty shops.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved footrest which maybe used in a plurality of ways.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest in which the partssupporting the feet of the user may be positioned entirely beneath andbehind the feet.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be renderedrelatively extensive to permit placing of feet upon any desired portionthereof.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be readilyconverted from two spaced rests to one continuous rest.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be readilyconverted from a footrest to a rest for supporting the legs of a user.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be easilyand economically manufactured.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may beconveniently operated.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be arrangedto give unobstructed access to the feet of a. user, so that the usersshoes may be easily shined.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which may be readilyapplied to existing equipment.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which will be neat andattractive in appearance.

Another object is to provide an improved footrest which will permit theuser to remain in comfortable and natural positions.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be better understood from the description of onepractical embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lower part of a barbers chairshowing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Figure Figure3 is a plan view of the footrest portion of Figures 1 and 2 to anenlarged scale, taken in the line IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV--IV of Figure Figure 5is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 but showing the parts in thepositions which they occupy while an occupant of a chair is having hisshoes shined; and

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional I View of the latchmechanism shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 1, parts of a barber chair are illustrated, consisting of aseat frame portion I, cushion 2, and arms 3. Pivotally connected to theseat frame is a downwardly extending support 4 to the lower end of whichis connected a horizontal portion or step 5, these parts being of wellknown or any desired construction, whereby the step portion may be swungforwardly and upwardly (as indicated in dot-and-dash lines in.

Figure 1) when an occupant in a chair is moved back into more or lessreclining position, as is customary during a shaving operation, or to bemoved into their normal positions shown in solid lines in Figure 1, whenhe is having his hair cut.

Secured to the forward edge of the step portion 5 are two upwardlyextending brackets 6 which carry the foot rest device.

This consists of two spaced foot supports or rests 'l and 8, separatedat their front edges and connected only by a relatively narrow bar 9shown as formed integrally with the extreme rearward portions of thespaced foot supports.

The generally channel-shaped piece consisting of the foot supports 1 and8 and the bar 9 is pivoted by trunnions Hi to the upper ends of brackets6 and is provided with two lugs or projections ll arranged to contactstops formed in the upper ends of the brackets, so that the supports maybe moved from the position shown in solid lines of Figure 1 to thatindicated in dotand-dash lines therein, in the former positionpresenting a hard surface upon which the soles of the shoes of theoccupant of the chair may rest, and in the latter position presenting acushioned surface for supporting the back portions of his legs.

Connected to the under side of one of the foot supports 8, as by a hingeI2, is an intermediate or auxiliary foot or leg supporting member (morefully described hereinafter) which, when swung upwardly into transverseposition, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, has an upper surface serving as acontinuation of the upper surfaces of the two spaced foot supports.

In this position the auxiliary supporting member is retained in place bya latch consisting of a. hooked end [3 having a cam surface adapted tobe moved by a cooperating cam surface formed upon the frame M of theauxiliary support, the

hook l3 being the end of a lever pivoted at l6 within the foot supportI. The opposite end of the lever is provided with a push button-likeactuating knob 11 projecting to the exterior of the foot support, whilethe lever is urged into locking engagement with frame M by a spring l8.The auxiliary support is shown as provided, upon the upper surface offrame 14, with a filter block [9, which, as above indicated, has asurface constituting a continuation of the upper surfaces of the spacedsupports 1 and 8, while on the opposite side of frame [4 a cushion,consisting of padding and a flexible cover 2|, extends substantiallythroughout the entire surface of the frame.

It will be noted that the upper surfaces of the spaced foot supports 1and 8 as well as of the block l9 are defined by two offset planes 22 and23, connected by a perpendicular plane 24, which provides a recess forreceiving the shoe heels of the chair occupant to keep his feet fromsliding while using the footrest.

When the occupant of the chair is receiving a shine, it is onlynecessary for the bootblack to release the hook l3 by depressing thebutton I7, and to swing the auxiliary support downwardly to the positionshown in Figure 6 and by dot-anddash lines in Figure 4.

The width of the spaced supports 1 and 8 is such that these supports liealmost entirely beneath the soles of the occupants shoes, providing apractically unobstructed access to both sides of each shoe, the bar 9being positioned at the rear of the heels thereof. Hence, it isunnecessary for the bootblack to use any auxiliary footrest or to movethe occupant of the chair into any strained position while giving him ashine.

While I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention insome particularity, obviously many others will readily occur to thoseskilled in this art, and I do not therefore limit myself to the precisedetails shown and described, but claim as my invention all embodiments,modifications and variations coming within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim: 1. A footrest comprising two connected spaced foot supportseachshaped to fit the sole and heel 'ofa shoe and having an upwardlyextending surface to engage the front edge of a heel thereof and adaptedto underlie the sole of one foot, a movable support adapted to fill thespace between said first mentioned foot supports permanently connectedto one of said foot support and detachably connected to the other footsupport,

and means for releasably securing said .movable support between saidfoot supports or for releasing it for removal from said position.

2. A footrest comprising two rigidly connected spaced foot supports eachshaped to fit the sole and heel of a shoe and having an upwardlyextending surface to engage the front edge of a heel thereof and adaptedto underlie the sole of one foot, a movable support adapted to fill thespace between said first mentioned foot supports,

and means for detachably securing said movable support between said footsupports or for releasing it for removal from said position.

3. A footrest comprising fixed supporting means, a pair of spaced footsupports each adapted to underlie the sole of a single foot rigidlyconnected together and pivotally carried by said supporting means, anauxiliary foot support pivotally connected to one individual footsupport and releasably connectible to the other individual support, andhaving a surface when connected to both supports forming a continuationof the surfaces of said supports, and a second supporting surface onsaid auxiliary foot support on the side opposite to said first mentionedsurface arranged to be brought into operative position when theindividual supports are moved about their pivot on the supporting means.

4. A footrest comprising fixed supporting means, a pair of spaced footsupports each adapted to underlie the sole of a single foot rigidlyconnected together and pivotally carried by said supporting means, anauxiliary foot support pivotally connected to one individual footsupport and releasably connectible to the other individual support, andhaving a surface when connected to both supports forming a continuationof the surfaces of said supports, and an upholstered supporting surfaceon said auxiliary foot support on the side opposite to said firstmentioned surface arranged to be brought into operative position whenthe individual supports are moved about their pivot on the supportingmeans.

5. A footrest comprising a pair of spaced brackets adapted to be rigidlyfixed to a chair, a pair of individual foot supports rigidly connectedtogether and pivotally connected to said brackets, stop means betweensaid foot supports and said brackets limiting the motion of saidindividual supports in two positions with opposite sides extendingupwardly, a movable member pivotally connected to one of said individualsupports, a latch interposed between said member and the other of saidsupports for connecting said member to said last mentioned support, saidmember having a surface on one side to serve as a continuation of thesurfaces of said foot supports and upholstery on the opposite side.

6. A footrest comprising a pair of spaced brackets adapted to be rigidlyfixed to a chair, a pair of individual foot supports rigidly connectedtogether and pivoted on a transverse horizontal axis to said brackets,'stopmeans between said foot supports and said brackets limiting themotion of said individual supports in two positions with opposite sidesextending upwardly, a movable member pivotally connected to one of saidindividual supports to move about an axis'extending lengthwise of theindividual foot support, a latch interposed between said member and theother of said supports for connectingv said member to said lastmentioned support, said member having a surface on one side to serve asa continuation of the surfaces of said foot supports and upholstery onthe opposite side.

JOHN A. YUSEK.

